Listing machines



July 28, 1964 R. A. EDWARDS LISTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 17. 1961 IN V EN TOR.

RIC HARD A. EDWAR DS July 28, 1964 R. A. EDWARDS LISTING MACHINES 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17. 1961 July 28, 1964 R. A. EDWARDS LISTINGMACHINES Filed April 1'7. 196].

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 08 (FIG. 1,2 AND 3) Mom/EMT OF LEVER 206 (m2) v L- CAM302 (FIG.3)

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 48 l I I I l I I I I I l I PRINTING PERIOD PLATEN 134(FIGJ):

L l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l 4C 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1T ACTUATOR DRIVE SHAFT IN DRIVEN POSITION PRINTING SEGMENT IN POSITIONAND L0 PLATEN PRESSED AGAINST PRINTING SEGM CKED ENT

PLATEN REMOVED ACTUATOR DRIVE SHAFT RESTORED T0 INITIAL POSITIONAPRINTING SEGMENT UNLOCKED TO United States Patent 3,142,441 LISTINGMACHINES Richard A. Edwards, Walnut Creek, Calif, assignor to SCMCorporation, a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 17, 1961, Ser. No.103,346 Claims. (Ci. 23560) The invention relates to listing machineshaving reciprocating actuator racks with printing segments entrainedtherewith, and particularly concerns means for disconnecting theprinting segments from the racks so that the racks may be returned totheir initial positions while the printing segments are held stationaryduring the printing operation.

In known listing machines, the printing segments are continuouslyengaged with the reciprocating actuator racks throughout a reciprocationof the actuator racks involving a printing operation. Since the printingoperation requires that the printing segments be held stationary inselectively adjusted positions, the actuator racks must be maintained inan idle stationary position during the printing operation.

According to the invention, the printing segments are driven by theactuator racks only during the first stroke of the cycle of rackreciprocation. Then the printing segments are disconnected from theracks and the racks are returned to their initial positions during theprinting operation. Such return of the racks permits various otheroperations to be initiated which otherwise would be delayed until afterthe printing operation is completed. For example, a pin carriage whichis provided for determining the extent of excursion of the actuatorracks may be returned to its initial position and a tens carryingoperation may be initiated without the usual delay which is inherent inconventional listing machines.

After the printing operation is completed the printing segments arereturned to their initial positions where they are re-connected with theactuator racks. In actual practice, the printing operation and thereturn of the printing segments occurs concurrently with the return ofthe actuator racks, the return of the pin carriage, and the tenscarrying operation. Thus, the idle time normally lost for the printingcycle is entirely eliminated.

An object of the invention is to obtain higher operating speeds inlisting machines, printing calculators and the like.

Another object is to shorten the time required for a cycle of operationof the actuator rack assemblies in listing machines.

A further object is to return an actuator rack to the initial positionduring the printing operation and to increase the speed of operation ofthe calculator accordingly.

Still another object is toreleasably connect an actuator rack and aprinting segment so that the printing operation may be accomplishedindependently of the return of the actuator racks.

In order that the invention may be practiced by others, a specificarrangement according to the invention, given by way of example only, isdescribed with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a right side view partially in section showing an actuatingmechanismof a listing machine;

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the main operating shaft and associatedmechanisms for reciprocating a transverse actuator rack drive shaft;

FIG. 3 is a right side View of the drive mechanism for a printingsegment locking bail and a printing segment restoring rod; and

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram showing the sequence of operation of variousmechanisms in the listing machine.

The present invention is disclosed as embodied in an "ice Eel

adding machine such as the commercially available Mai-chant addingmachine which has an accumulator register, and is capable of printingindividual items, sums, differences, and products; however it will beevident to those skilled in the art that the invention is equallyapplicable to machines which do not employ a register and which employthe printing mechanism merely for listing or reading-out values fromanother source. Therefore, the term listing machine is used in thepresent specification to denote a read-out mechanism as well as anadding machine or calculating machine.

Referring to FIG. 1, values are entered into a value entry mechanism, orpin carriage, in a known manner by depressing value entry keys (notshown), such depression moving a pin 101 corresponding to the value ofthe key into the path of movement of a digital actuator in the form ofan ordinal reciprocating actuator rack assembly generally indicated at102. The ordinal reciprocating actuator rack assembly 102 comprises amain member 103 and a register drive rack 104 carried thereby.

In those machines having a numeral wheel accumulator register, such asindicated at 123, the assembly 1'92 serves both to drive the numeralwheel as well as a respective printing segment 107. Briefly, the gears123 integral with numeral wheels are driven in conventional manner bymoving a register supporting shaft 124 either upwardly or downwardlyinto engagement with rack teeth 121 or 122, respectively, on theregister drive rack 104, as is more fully described hereinafter.

The mechanism for driving the printing segments 107 includes the mainmember 103 which has a notch 133 out in an upper extension thereof. Anear 129, carried by a releasable connecting member 105, normally lieswithin the notch 133. The member 105 is pivoted at 126 to asupplementary printing segment driving element 106 and is urgedclockwise by a spring 127, thus connecting the element 106 to the member103 for movement of the member and the element as a unit. The printingsegment 107 is freely pivoted on a transverse shaft 320, and has gearteeth which are driven by element 196.

A transverse rod 137 is moved from the full line position to the dottedline position by means described hereinafter to permit counterclockwisemovement of the printing segments 107. The rod 137 is subsequently usedto return all of the segments to the initial positions shown. A selectedvalue, as represented by the selectively advanced positions of segments107 is printed by moving a platen 134 towards the left to press a papertape 135 and a ribbon 136 with one of ten type faces on the printsegment 107.

In a conventional adding machine, for example, the depression of a key,such as the plus bar, initiates a single cycle of rotation of a mainoperating shaft such as the shaft 108. Two pairs of complementary drivecams 200 and 201 (only one pair of which is shown in FIG. 2) are mountedon the main shaft 108 for counterclockwise rotation therewith. A pair ofrollers 202 and 203 are mounted on a follower lever 2&4 to follow thecams 200 and 201, respectively, and to rock the lever 204 about a shaft205. Also mounted on the shaft 205 is a forked lever 205 connected by anadjustable fastener 207 to the lever 294 for movement therewith. Themovement of lever 206 in response to 360 of rotation of cams 200 and 201is diagrammatically illustrated in line 4A of FIG. 4. The forked lever206 is engaged with a transverse cyclically operable actuator drivemeans comprising a shaft 208 (FIGS. 1 and 2) guided in appropriate slotsin the framework of the machine (not shown) for reciprocation of theshaft 208 between an initial leftmost position and a driven rightmostposition, shown in dotted outline in FIG. 1.

In the initial leftmost position, the actuator drive shaft u 203 isengaged by a notch 112 in a drive lever 111. The lever 111 is freelymounted on a pin 113 on the main member 103 and is urged in acounterclockwise direction by a spring 114 to engage the shaft 208.During rotation of the complementary cams 200 and 201, the actuatordrive shaft is moved by the forked lever 2% toward the right. At suchtime the lever 111, the member 103, and the reciprocating rack assembly102 including the printing segment driving element 106 are carried tothe right as a unit until a shoulder 115 on the main member 103 isblocked by a selectively ejected pin 101 standing in the path ofmovement of the shoulder. When the rack assembly and the lever 111 areblocked from further rightward movement, the continuing movement ofdrive shaft 208 toward the right moves the shaft 208 out of the notch112. This rotates the lever 111 clockwise and drives a locking ear 115on lever 111 into engagement with a toothed rack 117 fixed to theframework of the machine. The rack assembly 102 is thereby firmly heldin a selectively driven position while the drive shaft 208 is driven toan extreme rightward position which occurs at the end of the first 180of operation of shaft 108.

The above described clockwise movement of lever 111 moves a restrainingmeans in the form of an ear 111a into the path of movement of a shoulder106a. on the printing segment drive element 106, thus preventing furthermovement of element 106 and printing segment 107 in response to inertialforces.

During the above mentioned rightward movement of the main member 103, ashoulder 128 of the notch 133 abuts the ear 129 and moves the member 106thus rotating the printing segment 107 counterclockwise to the printingposition which corresponds to the position to which the member 103 isdriven. At the end of the rightward stroke of the actuator drive shaft208 a holding means, or locking bail, 131 described hereinafter, isautomatically brought into engagement with locking teeth 132 to maintainthe printing segment in the printing position. During the second 180 ofrotation of the shaft 108, the cams 200 and 201 move the lever 206 backto the initial position shown during which the shaft 208 is drivenleftwardly back into engagement with the notch 112. Upon suchre-engagement the spring 114 rocks the lever 111 counterclockwise andthe ear 116 rocks out of engagement with the toothed rack 117. Thisunlocks the assembly 102 from the rack 117 and the shaft 208 returns theassembly leftwardly to the initial position shown.

Since the printing segment 107 is maintained in a locked position atthis time, a camming surface 133 of the notch 128 rocks the ear 129 ofthe lever 105 upwardly against the urging of the spring 127 thusdisconnecting the element 106 from the member 103. The main member 103and the register drive rack 104 are driven to the left to the initialpositions While the element 106 and the printing segment 107 aremaintained locked in the printing position. During the period that theprinting segment is locked in the printing position, the platen 134, atape 135, and an inked ribbon 136 are brought against the printingsegment in conventional manner to print a character on the tapecorresponding to the rotated position of the printing segment. At theend of the printing operation the platen is moved to the initialposition shown in FIG. 1, the bail 131 is rocked out of engagement withthe locking teeth 132, and the rod 137 is returned to the initialposition shown thus returning the printing segments 107 to respectiveinitial clockwise positions shown in FIG. 1. Clockwise rotation of aprinting segment acts through the gear segment 123 to force the element100 to the left. Since the main member 103 has been restored to theinitial position before the printing segment 107 and the element 106 arerestored, the car 129 engages a camming surface 139 and rocks theconnecting member 105 counterclockwise against the urging of spring 127thus permitting the ear 129 to re-engage the notch 120 and re-establishthe drive connection between the member 103 and the element 106.

The mechanism which controls the rocking movement of rod 137 comprises apair of box cams 301, only one of which is shown in FIG. 3. These camsare fixed on the shaft 103 and act through similar rollers 303,followers 304 and links 303 to rock camming plates 302 first in acounterclockwise and then back in a clockwise direction. Plates 302carry between them the rod 137 which extends through slots 133 in all ofthe ordinal printing segments 107. The arrangement is such that the rod137 is moved counterclockwise at the same time and at the same rate atwhich the printing segments 107 are advanced in counterclockwise fashionduring the first 180 of rotation of shaft 108. During the latter part ofthe second 180 of rotation of shaft 108, after the printing operation iscompleted, the rod 137 is returned to its initial position, thusrestoring the printing segments to initial positions.

FIG. 3 shows the arrangement for rocking the locking bail 131 (FTGS. 1and 3) into engagement with the teeth 132. The previously mentioned camplate 302 has an upper surface 311 which cooperates with a locking camfollower pin 310 extending from a locking cam follower 307. The pin 310follows the cam surface 311 into a notch 312 to rock the cam follower307 counterclockwise at the end of the counterclockwise rotation of thecam plate 302. A shoulder 314 of the follower 307 extends into a forkedend 313 of the bail 131 which, in turn, projects through a guide slot316 in a fixed frame member 309. The forked end is held against theupper end of the slot 316 by the shoulder 314 until the pin 310 entersthe cam slot 312 and rocks the follower 307 counterclockwise to bringthe bail 131 into engagement with the teeth 132.

It may be noted by comparing lines 1A and 4B of FIG. 4 that the lever206 moves the actuator drive shaft 203 to its full rightward positionbefore the cam 302 (PEG. 3) is driven to its full counterclockwiseposition to thereby insure that the printing segment 107 is in theprinting position before bringing tie bail 131 into locking engagementwith the teeth 132. Also, in line 4C the motion of the platen inresponse to 360 of rotation of the shaft is shown. Comparison of line413 with line 4C shows that the locking bail cam plate 302 is maintainedin the counterclockwise locking position during a period extendingbefore and after the time allowed for printing. At the end of thisperiod, the plate 302 is driven clockwise to raise the follower pin 310out of the notch 312. This rocks the follower 307 clockwise and raisesthe locking bail 131 out of engagement with the teeth 132. Furtherrotation of the plate 302 clockwise brings the restoring rod 137 intoengagement with the printing segments 107 (FIG. 1) and thus restores theprinting drive element 106 and the connecting member 1.05 to respectiveinitial positions where the member re-engages the reciprocating rackassembly 102.

Comparison of lines 4A and 4B shows that the lever 206 which drives theactuator drive shaft 203 and the register drive racks 104 is fullyrestored to the initial position before the beginning of restoration ofthe printing segment 107 and therefore is restored for a considerableperiod before the complete restoration of the printing segment. Thisperiod may be used for carrying out other operations that must becompleted before a new printing cycle can be initiated such as, forexample, clearance of the pin carriage. Alternatively, other extracyclicoperations such as tens carry and true negative balance translationwhich occur in other known machines at the end of a calculatingoperation may be carried out in place of or simultaneously with pincarriage clearance.

During certain operations of a calculator such as in multiplication ordivision. it is necessary that the main member 103 and the registerdrive rack 104 be reciprocated but it is unnecessary that the printingsegments be moved. Thus when a multiply or a divide key is depressed, aselectively operable superseding means in the form of a bail 141(FIG. 1) may be rocked by the key. The bail engages an arm 142 of theconnecting member 105 to rock the ear 129 out of engagement with theshoulder 128. The main member 103 and the register drive rack 104 arethen free to reciprocate independently of the printing segment 107. Atthe end of the actuating operation, when the key is released, the bail141 rises to the position shown to re-establish the connection 129428and permit printing of the result.

The ordinal accumulator gears 123 are mounted on the shaft 124 and areheld in engagement with the positive gear rack 121 or the negative gearrack 122 in the usual manner during the numeral wheel actuatingoperation which occurs during restoration of the main member 103.

To carry out a tens carry operation during reciprocation of the shaft208 the register drive rack 104 (FIG. 1) of each order is slidablymounted on the corresponding main member 103. For this purpose studs 118and 119 carried by slide 104 are guided in slots in member 103. Theregister drive rack 104 of each order is spring urged towards the leftwith respect to the main member 103.

A tens carry tooth 143 is made integral with each-accumulator gear 123.Rotation of the tooth 143 from a value of 9 to 0 in the positivedirection or from 0 to 9 in the negative direction causes the tooth 143to rock an interponent 144 on a fixed shaft 145. Regardless of thedirection in which the interponent 144 is rocked, it moves an ordinalmember 146 to the right. Each member 146 is guided by a shaft 147 andcomprises a portion of an articulated linkage (not shown) which trips aprojection 148 for movement to the left each time the tens carry tooth143 rotates the interponent 144. The projection 148 is located adjacenta shoulder 149 of the register drive rack 104 in an adjacent higherorder so that the higher order register drive rack is released to makean extra digital increment of movement to the left. Since the tens carrymechanism is conventional and forms no part of the present invention,further description is believed unnecessary.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention isequally applicable to an adding machine which employs rotary actuatorassemblies instead of reciprocating actuator rack assemblies. Forexample, the rotary actuator assembly may be of the Thomas or Odhnertype in which digitation occurs during a first phase followed by a tenscarry phase. In such a machine, the disconnecting means would serve topermit printing of a selected amount during the tens carry phase.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a listing machine having a value entry mechanism, a plurality ofordinally arranged printing means, digital actuators operable under thecontrol of said value entry mechanism to drive the printing means, andcyclically operable means for driving said actuators; a print controlmechanism comprising: a normally enabled connection between eachactuator and a respective ordinal printing means to cause the actuatorsto drive the printing means concurrently with movement of the actuatorsunder the control of said value entry mechanism, means operable undercontrol of the cyclically operable means to disconnect the printingmeans from the digital actuators, and said cyclically operable meansbeing thereafter operable to cause further movement of the actuatorsindependently of the printing means.

2. In a listing machine having a plural order numeral wheel register, avalue entry mechanism, numeral wheel actuators operable to be driven toselected value representative positions under the control of said valueentry mechanism and to correspondingly drive said numeral wheels,cyclically operable means for driving said numeral wheel actuators, aplurality of printing means, means operable to engage said actuatorswith said printing means to drive the printing means to said printingposition concurrently with movement of said numeral Wheel actuators,means operable to hold said printing means in said printing position,means to disengage the printing means from the actuators and saidcyclically operable means being thereafter operable to cause furthermovement of the actuators independently of the printing means.

3. In a listing machine having a plural order printing means, a valueentry mechanism, a plurality of ordinally arranged actuators, a normallyengaged connection between each actuator and a respective printingmeans, and a printing control mechanism comprising: cyclically operablemeans for driving said actuators and said printing means each from aninitial position to a selected value representative position under thecontrol of said value entry mechanism, locking means operable undercontrol of said cyclically operable means to hold said printing means insaid driven position during a subsequent disengagement of the printingmeans from the actuators, cyclically operable means for returning theactuators to their initial positions, and restoring means operable underthe control of said cyclically operable means to return said printingmeans to initial positions for re-engagement with the actuators.

4. In a listing machine having a register comprising a plurality ofordinally arranged numeral wheels, a value entry mechanism, numeralwheel actuators, a plurality of printing means releasably engaged withsaid actuators, cyclically operable means for driving said actuators andsaid printing means from initial positions to selected valuerepresentative positions under the control of said value entrymechanism, means for disengaging the printing means from the actuatorsand for maintaining the printing means in the value representativeposition independently of movement of the actuators, and restoring meansengageable with said printing means and operable under the control ofsaid cyclically operable means to return the actuators and the printingmeans in seriatim to said initial positions and to re-engage theprinting means with the actuators.

5. In a listing machine having a plural order numeral wheel register, avalue entry mechanism, numeral wheel actuators, cyclically operablemeans for driving said numeral wheel actuators under the control of saidvalue entry mechanism, and a plural order printing means; a printingcontrol mechanism, comprising: a normally enabled connection betweeneach printing means and a respective numeral Wheel actuator to cause theactuators to drive the printing means from initial positions torespective value printing positions; locking means operable undercontrol of said cyclically operable means for engaging and holding saidprinting means in said value printing position; means responsive tocontinuing movement of the actuators to discormect the printing meansfrom the actuators; and restoring means operable under control of saidcyclically operable means to return the printing means to said initialpositions and to reconnect the actuators and the printing means.

6. In a listing machine having a plural order numeral wheel register, avalue entry mechanism, numeral Wheel actuators, cyclically operablemeans for driving said actuators to selected value representativepositions under the control of said value entry mechanism, and aplurality of printing segments; a print segment control mechanismcomprising in each order: a print segment driving member, a spring, areleasable connecting device mounted on said printing segment drivingmember and normally urged by said spring into engagement with a portionof said actuator to thereby cause the print segment to be drivenconcurrently with movement of said numeral wheel actuator under thecontrol of said value entry mechanism, and means operable under controlof the cyclically operable means to overcome said spring and todisengage the print segment driving member from said actuator to therebypermit movement of the actuator independently of the printing segment.

7. In a listing machine having a numeral wheel; a value entry mechanism;a numeral wheel actuator operable to be driven to a selected valuerepresentative position under the control of said value entry mechanismand to correspondingly drive said numeral wheel; cyclically operablemeans for driving said numeral wheel actuator; a printing segment; aprinting segment control mechanism, comprising: a printing drive elementengaged with said segment to drive said segment; a normally enabledconnecting device between the printing drive element and the numeralwheel actuator to drive the printing drive element and the printingsegment from respective initial positions to said value representativeposition concurrently with movement of the numeral wheel actuator; meansoperable under control of said cyclically operable means for holdingsaid printing segment in the said value representative position tothereby disable said connecting device and to break the connectionbetween the printing drive element and the numeral wheel actuator duringsubsequent movement of the actuator; and a restoring means operableunder the control of said cyclically operable means to return theprinting segment and printing drive element to said initial position andto re-enable the connecting device.

8. In a listing machine having a numeral wheel register, a value entrymeans; numeral wheel actuators operable to be driven to selected valuerepresentative positions under the control of said value entry means andto correspondingly drive said numeral wheels; cyclically operable meansfor driving said numeral wheel actuators, a plurality of printing means;a printing control mechanism, comprising: a releasable connectornormally coupling each actuator and a respective printing means to drivethe printing means to printing positions concurrently with movement ofthe numeral wheel actuators under control of said value entry means; anda superseding means operable under control of said cyclically operablemeans to engage said releasable connector to break the coupling betweenthe numeral wheel actuators and the printing means and permit cyclicmovement of the 0 numeral wheel actuators independently of the printingmeans.

9. In a listing machine having a register comprising a plurality ofnumeral Wheels; a value entry mechanism; actuators operable undercontrol of said value entry mechanism to drive said numeral wheels;printing means; and a printing means control mechanism, comprising: anormally enabled means connecting the printing means and the numeralwheel actuators to cause the actuators to drive the printing means;cyclically operable means for driving said actuators, said normallyenabled connecting means, and said printing means; and a selectivelysettable superseding means operable by said cyclically operable means atthe beginning of a cycle and prior to said driving of the numeral Wheelsby the actuators to disconnect the printing means from the actuators.

10. In a listing machine having a plurality of ordinally arrangedprinting means, a value entry mechanism, a plurality of ordinallyarranged actuators normally standing in an initial position, a pluralityof printing means, cyclically operable means for driving said actuators,and a printing control mechanism comprising: a connecting means betweeneach printing means and a respective actuator to cause the actuators todrive the printing means each from an initial position to a selectedvalue representative position, means to break the connection betweeneach actuator and its respective printing means, means controlledjointly by the value entry mechanism and a portion of the cyclicallyoperable means for restraining inertial forces tending to move theprinting means beyond said value representative position, a first meansfor returning the actuators to said initial positions, and a secondmeans for thereafter returning the printing means to said initialpositions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,371,138 Bair Mar. 8, 1921 2,467,441 Noller Apr. 19, 1949 2,506,337Boyden May 2, 1950 2,568,350 Mehan Sept. 18, 1951 2,973,708 Becker Mar.7, 1961

1. IN A LISTING MACHINE HAVING A VALUE ENTRY MECHANISM, A PLURALITY OFORDINALLY ARRANGED PRINTING MEANS, DIGITAL ACTUATORS OPERABLE UNDER THECONTROL OF SAID VALUE ENTRY MECHANISM TO DRIVE THE PRINTING MEANS, ANDCYCLICALLY OPERABLE MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID ACTUATORS; A PRINT CONTROLMECHANISM COMPRISING: A NORMALLY ENABLED CONNECTION BETWEEN EACHACTUATOR AND A RESPECTIVE ORDINAL PRINTING MEANS TO CAUSE THE ACTUATORSTO DRIVE THE PRINTING MEANS CONCURRENTLY WITH MOVEMENT OF THE ACTUATORSUNDER THE CONTROL OF SAID VALUE ENTRY MECHANISM, MEANS TO DISCONNECT THEPRINTING MEANS FROM THE DIGITAL ACTUATORS, AND SAID CYCLICALLY OPERABLEMEANS BEING THEREAFTER OPERABLE TO CAUSE FURTHER MOVEMENT OF THEACTUATORS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE PRINTING MEANS.